Dweezil, reading your heartfelt words and understanding being influenced two amazing musicians I felt compelled to type a few of my own words...my history with VH goes back to those backyard parties and as time passed I entered the stage lighting world and had the distinct honor and pleasure of providing the lighting for many of their performances beginning around 1975 (see photo which I think was the first official lighting gig I did) at many venues around So Cal, until that fateful day I heard "You Really Got Me" on the radio and thought "that's the end of that ride", it was, no worries, but I did do the lighting for their last gig (Snow Crest Lodge) before their first tour and the rest is rock and roll history, and what a history they have, but remaining friends I attended at least one gig from every tour because that's what friends do, they support each other (but no brown M&Ms) and then the breakup, say it isn't so, it is, ( the 2 DLR tours were great btw and my little bother LD'd both), and when VH did their reunion tour my little bother, who is very well known within the industry, was their LD (what goes around), the Hollywood Bowl gig was "Unchained", and off the hook as the kids say, and finally around 5 years ago there was a book published, "Van Halen Rising" about their early days and I was honored to bring in a bunch of lights to a small club in Pasadena, which was called The Handlebar Saloon back then where the band played often, for the book launch/party gig, now that was a blast, many of the old school bands from back in the day played and it was great to see so many friends...so to sum this up and sorry for dragging this out when I heard the news that Eddie had lost his battle it was truly a sad day for all music fans and now the rock and roll heaven band is that much better (I am positive him and your dad, whom I got to witness live only once at The Hollywood Palladium, are trading riffs, btw, your dad and I had a very nice conversation at LAX, he had just come back from the PMRC hearings, I learned about life and music and where Studio Z was is 9 minutes from me...EVH has left the building---house lights down...
Thanks for sharing your story! It must have been amazing to see those early shows. They were an incredible from the start. It's nice to hear some tapes from back in those days just to catch a glimpse of it all. Do you have any real special recollections from any particular show?
Hey, didn't expect a response but a nice surprise just the same...ya, being a part of the upcoming of the band was a once in a rock and roll lifetime experience and as I really don't have any special recollections each and every gig I did the lighting for or attended as a fanatic has a special place in my heart and memory...I am going to attach a link that's on YouTube of part 1 of some of the music from the Golden West Ballroom and part 2 is on the site as well, there were also many gigs at the Pasadena Convention Center back in those daze that I did too and there is at least one link on YouTube for that venue, I am going to to try and attach an image of a poster from PCC and a photo of Eddie and Dave onstage at PCC, and of course the very old school lights that were used (don't laugh, everybody starts somewhere), if both attachments will not appear I will try to do two separate posts (as I am trying to add the images it goes back to my original comment and I don't think it's going to happen, but let's see after I click on "add comment"), so that's about it and just wanted to say thanks to you for carrying on your dad's legacy, he is in my top 3 revolving favorite musicians and I have attended 2 of your gigs (I yelled out "Dog Breath", and you said, "hold on, hold on, we'll get to that, and went right into it, thanks), I close my eyes and I am back at The Hollywood Palladium, thanks and keep rockin...
That was a really nice tribute snd well describes how i felt about your dad in my formative years minus the VH specifics. My condolences to you on the loss of your friend and mentor.
Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone. I appreciate it. He was a mentor and a friend and I miss him already. I'm working on an in-depth podcast about the impact of Van Halen as a band. I hope to premiere it in November 2020.
Eddie was a true original. I remember first hearing/seeing them on MTV back when it was still Music Television, instead of the home for all bad reality TV shows that it is now. I then got a cassette copy of VH1 and proceeded to wear it out from listening to it every day. And it still holds up today. He's probably up there jamming with Hendrix and maybe sitting in with Holdsworth now.
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Dweezil, reading your heartfelt words and understanding being influenced two amazing musicians I felt compelled to type a few of my own words...my history with VH goes back to those backyard parties and as time passed I entered the stage lighting world and had the distinct honor and pleasure of providing the lighting for many of their performances beginning around 1975 (see photo which I think was the first official lighting gig I did) at many venues around So Cal, until that fateful day I heard "You Really Got Me" on the radio and thought "that's the end of that ride", it was, no worries, but I did do the lighting for their last gig (Snow Crest Lodge) before their first tour and the rest is rock and roll history, and what a history they have, but remaining friends I attended at least one gig from every tour because that's what friends do, they support each other (but no brown M&Ms) and then the breakup, say it isn't so, it is, ( the 2 DLR tours were great btw and my little bother LD'd both), and when VH did their reunion tour my little bother, who is very well known within the industry, was their LD (what goes around), the Hollywood Bowl gig was "Unchained", and off the hook as the kids say, and finally around 5 years ago there was a book published, "Van Halen Rising" about their early days and I was honored to bring in a bunch of lights to a small club in Pasadena, which was called The Handlebar Saloon back then where the band played often, for the book launch/party gig, now that was a blast, many of the old school bands from back in the day played and it was great to see so many friends...so to sum this up and sorry for dragging this out when I heard the news that Eddie had lost his battle it was truly a sad day for all music fans and now the rock and roll heaven band is that much better (I am positive him and your dad, whom I got to witness live only once at The Hollywood Palladium, are trading riffs, btw, your dad and I had a very nice conversation at LAX, he had just come back from the PMRC hearings, I learned about life and music and where Studio Z was is 9 minutes from me...EVH has left the building---house lights down...
Hi Ric,
Thanks for sharing your story! It must have been amazing to see those early shows. They were an incredible from the start. It's nice to hear some tapes from back in those days just to catch a glimpse of it all. Do you have any real special recollections from any particular show?
Best, DZ
Hey, didn't expect a response but a nice surprise just the same...ya, being a part of the upcoming of the band was a once in a rock and roll lifetime experience and as I really don't have any special recollections each and every gig I did the lighting for or attended as a fanatic has a special place in my heart and memory...I am going to attach a link that's on YouTube of part 1 of some of the music from the Golden West Ballroom and part 2 is on the site as well, there were also many gigs at the Pasadena Convention Center back in those daze that I did too and there is at least one link on YouTube for that venue, I am going to to try and attach an image of a poster from PCC and a photo of Eddie and Dave onstage at PCC, and of course the very old school lights that were used (don't laugh, everybody starts somewhere), if both attachments will not appear I will try to do two separate posts (as I am trying to add the images it goes back to my original comment and I don't think it's going to happen, but let's see after I click on "add comment"), so that's about it and just wanted to say thanks to you for carrying on your dad's legacy, he is in my top 3 revolving favorite musicians and I have attended 2 of your gigs (I yelled out "Dog Breath", and you said, "hold on, hold on, we'll get to that, and went right into it, thanks), I close my eyes and I am back at The Hollywood Palladium, thanks and keep rockin...
I had no idea that VH shared a bill with The Ramones! How cool.
That was a really nice tribute snd well describes how i felt about your dad in my formative years minus the VH specifics. My condolences to you on the loss of your friend and mentor.
Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone. I appreciate it. He was a mentor and a friend and I miss him already. I'm working on an in-depth podcast about the impact of Van Halen as a band. I hope to premiere it in November 2020.
This is a beautiful tribute. Thank you Dweezil Zappa.
Eddie was a true original. I remember first hearing/seeing them on MTV back when it was still Music Television, instead of the home for all bad reality TV shows that it is now. I then got a cassette copy of VH1 and proceeded to wear it out from listening to it every day. And it still holds up today. He's probably up there jamming with Hendrix and maybe sitting in with Holdsworth now.